Birds of Chicago to play Village Idiot on Sept. 21

In December, a new face will join the Birds of Chicago tour. Band member Allison Russell is pregnant.

“We’re due for another round of big changes,” band member Jeremy Lindsay said. “We have every inclination of bringing our baby on the road with us. We have a really good support network.”

Jeremy Lindsay and Allison Russell of Birds of Chicago.

The band, which officially consists of Lindsay (performing as JT Nero) and Russell but is touring as a quartet currently, will perform at 10 p.m. Sept. 21 at The Village Idiot, 309 Conant St. Lindsay said folks in Toledo will definitely be able to see Russell’s baby bump.

“Bringing a child into the world certainly makes you more safe about the business side of things. You know, it’s not just for you anymore,” Lindsay said.

Birds of Chicago has played more than 200 shows since releasing their self-titled album in 2012. The band alternates between small, intimate shows and full-band experiences. The Village Idiot show will include a full band.

“It’s been a loud year,” Lindsay said. “We’ve pretty much been nonstop touring. We feel like we’re in a great place. We did a great tour in Europe and the U.K. We always wanted to expand our fan base very — this is a very overused phrase but — organically. We feel like we’re doing that.”

The band is preparing a live album to be released this fall. It was recorded at a venue in Chicago as a full-band experience. The album will be available online as early as October and will feature four new songs and different arrangements of older songs.

“I think it’s always really important to have a really good live document of what you do out there in the world,” Lindsay said. “It’s a different animal than recording [in the] studio. We love them both, but I think it’s really good to have a good representation of what you do live.”

Lindsay said it’s important for him to return to his hometown of Toledo once a year.

“[There’s] a lot of people I love there and it’s where I’m from. There’s always a little extra anticipation when I come back to visit my hometown,” Lindsay said.

Lindsay said he will get a pizza from The Original Gino’s Pizza while in town, adding it’s one of his “religious rituals” he does every time he is in Toledo.